Holder for can-opening machines.



C. CAMPBELL 6: A. H. FORD.

HOLDER FOR CAN OPENING MACHINES.

APPLlCATION man FEB. 8, i918.

1,296,621 Patented Mar. 11, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1- INVENTO R S WITNESSES ATTORNEY C. CAMPBELL & A. H. FORD.

HGLDEYR FOR CAN OPENIN G MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED FE,B.8,1918.

1 ,296,621 Patented. Mar. 11, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

2? INVENTC'R ATTORN EY CHARLES CAMPBELL AND ALEXANDER H. FORD, 0F METROPOLIS, ILLINOIS..

'HOLDER'FOR CAN-OPENING MACHINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 11, 1919.

Application filed February 8, 1918. Serial No. 216,055.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, CHARLES CAMPBELL and ALEXANDER H. Foam, citizens of Canada, residing at Metropolis, in the county of Massac and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Holders for Can-Opening Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates generally to can opening machines, and. particularly to improved means for holding the can during the cutting or opening operation.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a holding mechanism for use with machines of this character which operates in such manner as to properly center the can and to hold the same firmly during the cutting operation, and which operates in such manner as to permit the machine operator to have free use of his hands.

A further object of the invention is to provide a can holding apparatus capable of being actuated by afoot lever o-r treadle to withdraw the holders or grip members from engagement with the cam, and which operates automatically uponthe cam when the latter has been inserted upon the cutting table to properly center the same and hold the can firmly at the proper. place upon thewsaid tablei A still further object of the invention is to provide a can holding mechanism adapted particularly for use in connection with a cutting or opening machine such as that disclosed inour co-pending application, Serial Number 151,765, filed March 1, 1917, and wherein the hand operated adjusting mechanism shown therein is wholly obviated.

Still further objects reside in providing a device of the character set forth which shall be of simple and inexpensive construction, which is composed of comparatively few readily assembled parts, all of which'are so constructed and arranged as to minimize the opportunity for wear and breakage, whichis easy and simple of operation, which is capable of being. readily adjusted to adapt itself to cans of various sizes, which is positive in operation, and which will prove thori oughlypractical and efficient in use.

With these objects in view together with otherswhich will appear as the description proceeds,- the invention resides in the novel formation, combination, and arrangement of parts, all as will be described more'fully hereinafter, illustrated in the drawings, and

particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation, parts broken away, of a can opening machine constructed with a holding means of our invention,

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view taken upon line 22 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 8 is a similar View taken upon line 33 of Fig. 2,

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken upon line el4: of Fig. 3 and looking in the direction indicated by the arrow, and

Fig. 5 is a sectional View taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 2. 7 i

The can opening machine disclosed in the above mentioned pending application, comprises a base or table 10 mounted upon legs 11, and upon which a cutting mechanism indicated generallyat 12 is positioned. The cutter of this mechanism is held by the elements indicated at 13, and is adapted to operate upon the upper portion of a can 14 positioned upon the table at the center thereof. i

The base or table 10 is provided with a longitudinally disposed slot or guideway 15, the latter being disposed parallel with and equidistant from the longitudinal edges of the said table. This slot, which extends throughout substantially the entire length Each of the clamp or grip members is pro- 7 vided with a vertically disposed opening 17, within which the upper ends of levers 18 engage. The levers 18 are pivotedat their lower ends as at 19 to the depending bracket 20 secured to the table, and the said levers are arranged so as to swing toward and away from each other directly beneath the longitudinally disposed slot 15 inthe table. The walls definingthe openings 17 in the grip members are inclined so as to permit free sliding movement of the lever ends, whereby binding of the latter as the grip merrbers are being moved is wholly obviate I The bottom plate 21 of the bracket 20. has

at their outer ends to the controllinglevers 18 for the grip members, the said links being connected to the levers inwardly from the ends thereof. The member 24 constituting the treadle extends beyond the vertical lines of the machine, so as to be in a position convenient to the foot of the machine operator.

Secured at their ends in suitable brackets or angle irons 30 at the ends of the table 10 and in spaced parallel relation to each other are guide rods 31. The supporting irons or brackets 30 are so arranged at the ends of the table that the guide rods 31 will be disposed beneath the table and in close proximity thereto, and one upon each side of the slot 15. The rods 31 may be secured to the supporting brackets in any preferred manner, nuts 33 being used in the present instance.

Slidably supported at their ends upon the I spaced guide rods 31 area pair of blocks or travelers 35, each of which has a centrally arranged inwardly extending boss 36 adapt ed to engage with the adjacent controlling lever 18. The traveler members 35 are normally held atthe limit of their inward sliding movement by expansion springs 37 encircling the guide rods ;31,the said expansion springs bearing at their outer ends against the extremities of adjusting plates 38 mounted for sliding movement'longitudin'ally upon the guide rods 31. Each of the plates 38 has swiveled thereto the inner end of an adjusting screw '39; the said screws being threaded through suitable apertures in the depending portions of the angle irons or brackets 30 at the table ends. The outer extremities of the screws are bent so as to provide cranks '40, and it will be understood that rotary movement delivered to the screws 39 will cause the plates 38 to move inwardly or outwardly of the table, according to the direction of rotation of the said screws.

In operation, the treadle 24 is depressed, and the downward movement thus delivered to the vertically disposed rod 32 will cause the levers 18 to move outwardly away from each other, thismovement causing the grip members 16 to ride outwardly in the slot 15. A can is then positioned centrally upon the table, and the treadle 24 is released. The expansion springs 37 then force the travelers 35 inwardly, and the inwardly projecting bosses '36 engage the levers 18 adjacent the upper ends thereof and force the sameinwardly, whereupon the grip members 16 will be forced into engagement with the can 14 at diametrically opposite points. The cutting mechanism of the machine may then be brought into operation, and the can will be firmly held during such operation; To remove the can fromthe table, it is but necessary to depress the treadle 24, whereupon the grip members 16 will be moved outwardly and away from engagement with the can. WVhen it is desired to vary the tension of the expansion springs 37 the handles or cranks 40 of the screws maybe rotated.

From the foregoing it is obvious that we have provided a holding mechanism for can rious changes in the minor details of 'con-,

struction, proportion, and arrangement of parts maybe resorted to if desired without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

We claim 1. In a device of the class described, a base, a plurality of grip members mounted for sliding movement on said base and adapted. to engage and hold an article placed thereon, 'a pair of rods beneath said base, blocks movable 'on saidrrods, springs for forcing saidblocks toward each other, a lever disposed in the path of travel of each block and '-connecte'd to each of said grip memb'ers,and a treadi'e for moving said levers against the tension of said springs.

2-.- In a device of the class described, a base, a plurality of grip members mounted for sliding movement on said base and adapted to engage and hold an article placed thereon, a pair of rods beneath said base, blocks movable on said rods, springs for forcing said blocks'toward each other, means for varying the tension of said springs, a lever having one end disposed in the path of travel of each block and adapted to move said gripmembers, and means for moving said levers'simultaneously. r

'3. In a device of the class described, a

table having a central longitudinal slot allel with said slot beneath said table, a pair of blocks slidably arranged on said rods and disposed in the path of movement of said levers, springs surrounding said rods and 5 hearing at one end against said blocks, a

plate at the opposite end of each spring, and a screw member swiveled in each plate for adjusting the same.

4. In a device of the class described, a table having a slot therein, grip members slidably arranged in said slot and each having an opening therein, a pair of levers pivoted adjacent to said table and each having an end disposed in the openings of said grip members, means for yieldably holding said grip members at the limit of their movement in one'direction in said slot, a treadle, and links connecting said levers with said treadle whereby movement of the latter will cause the grip members to move against the tension of said holding means.

5. In a device of the class described, a table, grip members slidably arranged upon said table, levers for moving said grip mem bers, expansion springs in engagement at one end with said levers for forcing the latter toward each other, plates at the opposite ends of said expansion springs, and screw members connecting with said plates and designed to move the latter toward or away from said levers.

6. In a device of the class described, a

table, clamp members arranged upon saidtable and capable of moving toward or away from each other, levers for moving said clamp members, a pair of rods arranged in spaced parallel relation beneath said table, the said rods being disposed parallel to the path of movement of said grip members, ex pansion springs upon said rods, the said springs being engaged at one end with said levers to force the latter to each other, plates 'slidably arranged upon said rods and sup- Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0. i 

